President Vladimir Putin and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin examined plans to make the rouble the common currency of the Russian-Belarusian Union at a working meeting in the Kremlin. In particular, Mr. Putin and Mr. Kudrin discussed the results reached by the working group on completion of preparations for introducing the Russian rouble as the common currency for the Russian-Belarusian Union from January 1 2005 • President of Russia